Supporting device



Feb. 14, 1939,

H. H. MERWIN SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed NOV. l5,-1936 www TATES ATENT OFF! SUPPGRTING DEVICE Harry H. Merwin, Rutherford, N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 13, 1936, Serial No. 110,650

5- Claims. (Cl. 242-68) This invention relates to supporting devices, cap, respectively, engaging the opposite inner and more particularly to a device for securing peripheral hub portions of the reel. The spinreels upon a spindle. dle I may be used to support either a supply An object of the present invention is to proor takeup reel and in the case of the latter the vide a practical and eiective device which perspindle will be positively driven.

mits an expeditious and positive locking and/or Formed axially in the end of the spindle I0 removal of a reel or the like from a supporting is a shouldered bore I9 within which is slidably spindle. fitted a two-part push rod or plunger 2&3 having In accordance with the above object of the Xed thereto a transversely extending latch bar l0 invention, there is provided in one embodiment 2l, which is entered in a transverse slot 2li in 10 thereof a reel supporting spindle having at its the spindle. A compression spring 25 surroundfree end flattened portions extending back to an ing a reduced pOltiOn y0f the push rOd 2'@ With annular groove ior receiving internal webs or its ends engaging an annular shoulder along the lugs Within a cooperating cap. The cap is placed bore I9 of the spindle Ill and the inner surface i3 in position by aligning the webs with the flatof the latch bar 2l normally acts to move the lo tened portions and when the cap has been moved latch bar t0 the right Side 0f the Slot 2d, as Viewed to engage the reel it is rotated to bring the webs in Figsl and 2, ntO latching position, The s10t into portions of the groove not in alignment with 24 at its right side intersects an annular periphthe flattened surfaces. A spring pressed latch eral groove 26 in the spindle I0 so that when the having a plunger for manual operation is carlatch bar 2| is in latching position, it is partly 2f) ried by the spindle and normally extends into Within the groove 26. The right or enlarged the groove to prevent rotation of the cap to its portion 0f the push rOd 20 eXtends from the Outer' removal position. end of the spindle and through an aperture in Other objects and advantages of this inventhe end wall of the locking cap I8 a suitable tion will more fully appear from the following distance s0 that it may` be pressed inwardly 1f. detailed description, taken in connection with the against the action 0f the spring 25 t0 Withdraw accompanying drawing, wherein the latch bar 2I from the annular groove 26.

Fig. l is a side view, partly in section, of a To the right of the groove 26 in the spindle l0, device for securing a reel upon a supporting diametrically opposite sides of the spindle are flat- .'2-r spindle embodying the features of the invention; tened, to provide parallel faces 2l (Fig. 2) disno Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View, partly posed at right angles t0 the transverse slot 24 in section, of the reel securing device with the in the spindle. Formed on the inner periphery locking cap shown removed from the spindle, and 0f the locking cap I8 are diametrcally opposed Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the lines lugs, Webs, 01' ledges 23 prOVded With parallel :is 3-3 of Fig. 1. flat faces 29 spaced to slide .over the flat faces ,1.

Referring new to the drawing, I 0 indicates a 21 of the spindle when aligned therewith. The reel supporting spindle, the right end of which, dimensions of the ledges 23 0f the Cap i3 are shown fragmentarily, being rotatably journaled such that they mal7 be entered in the annular on ball bearings (not shown). Adjacent its inner grOOVe 25 Of the spindle i0 When aligned thereend the spindle IG is provided with an annular with in sliding the cap onto the spindle. When i() ange II carrying upon its outer face a pin I2 the cap ledges 28 are aligned with the spindle arranged to enter an aperture in a head of a reel grOOVe 25. the tapered Cap face i7 is engaged I3, shown in broken outline, whereby the reel with the inner peripheral face 0f the hub p0r-A and its supporting spindle may rotate together. tionV of the reel I3 in which position the lock- -i An inner peripheral face of a hub portion of the' ing cap may be rotated to carry the ledges into 4.5 reel i3 at one end engages anY annular tapered locking position in the groove, as shown in face I4 formed on the spindle IB while a similar Fig. 3. peripheral face at the opposite end of the reel 'When it is desired to remove thevlocked reel is engaged by an annular tapered face I'I pro- I3 from the spindle I 0, as shown in Fig, 1, the

vided on a locking cap I8 arranged to be slid spring pressed push rodA 20 is manually pressed onto the outer end of the spindle I0. When the inwardly as far as is permitted, which movement cap I 8 is locked to the spindle I0, as shown in withdraws the latch bar 2| from latching posi- Fig. l, in a manner to be presently described, tion in the annular spindle groove 26 and out of the reel I3 is centered with the spindle by means the path of the cap lugs or ledges 28 entered in 5.5 of the tapered faces I 4 and I'I of the spindle and the groove. With the latch bar 2| withdrawn 55 from the spindle groove, the locking cap I8 may be rotated either clock or counterclockwise to align the flat faces 29 of the cap ledges 28 with the fiat spindle faces 21 in which position the cap may be slid off the spindle. As the cap I8 is slid off the spindle, the push rod 20 is released and the latch bar 2I is automatically moved by the spring 25 into the spindle groove 26 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Thereafter, the reel I3 may be freely slid o the spindle I0.

To lock a reel upon the spindle I0, the reel is slid onto the spindle and the spindle pin I2 is` entered in the aperture of the reel head. Thereafter, the locking cap I8 is slid onto the spindle with the flat faces 21 and 29 of the spindle and the spring 25 towards'the right (Figs. l and 2)` to carry the latch bar into latching position into the spindle groove 26 in which position the reel I3 is positively locked on its supporting spindle Ill and cannot be removed without rst pressing the push rod 20 towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, against the action of the spring 25 and then manipulating the locking cap I8 in the manner previously described. Thus accidental displacement of the reel fromv its supporting spindle is positively prevented.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the invention provides a simple, effective and quickly detachable device for expeditiously and positively locking a reel Von its supporting spindle.

Although a specific embodiment and applicationof the invention has been shown and de- 4cap ledges aligned. As the cap is moved inwardly scribed herein, it should be understood that l.the

mounted element, in the support, said element f carrying a latch normally positioned in a channel in the support, andmeans on said caparranged to engage and move said latch from the. support channel and thereafterA in another movement of the cap to be moved into the. channelwhereupon t the latch againA moves into the channel to lock the cap to the support` and thereby `the object on the support until the resiliently mounted element is pressed inwardly to withdraw the latch fromthe support channel.4

2. In a device for supporting a rotatable object, a support, a removable locking cap movable in a plurality of directions on said support, a resiliently mounted element in the support carrying a latch normally positionedin a peripheral channel in the support, and cooperating faces on said support and cap effective when aligned to permit the cap to slide in one direction on the support to engage and move said latch from the support channel and thereafter in another movement of the cap to be moved into the channel whereupon the latch again moves into the channel to lock the cap to the support and thereby the object on the support until the resiliently mounted element is pressed inwardly to withdrawthe latch from the support channel.

3. In a device for supporting a rotatable object, a support having spaced peripheral faces, a removable locking cap movable in a plurality of directions on said support, a resiliently mounted element-inV thersupport, said element carrying a latch normally positioned in a peripheral groove in the support, and internal spaced lugs on said capl adapted to slide on said support faces to engage and move said latch from the support groove and thereafter in another movement of the cap to carry said'lugs into the groove whereupon the latch again moves intothe groove to lock the capto the support and thereby the object on the support until the `resiliently mounted element is pressed inwardly to withdraw the latch from they support groove.

4. In a device for supporting a rotatable object,

a supporthaving spaced p-eripheral faces, a removable locking cap mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement on said support, a spring pressed element longitudinally movable Vin thefsupport having a portion extending through said cap, said gage and move said latch portions from the support groove during a longitudinal movement? of said cap and thereafter upon rotation of the cap l to move said lugs linto the groove to lock thecap to the support and thereby the object on the'support until the spring pressed element is pressed inwardly to withdraw the latch portions fromth support groove.

5. In a device for supporting a reel upon a supporting spindle havinglspaced peripheral faces at its outer.v end, a removable locking cap movable in a plurality vof directions on said spindle and engaging the reel for, preventing movement thereof longitudinally on the spindle, a resiliently mounted plunger in the Vspindle having its outer.

end extending throughI said cap, .said plunger having transversely extending latch portions normally positioned in an annular peripheral groove in said spindle, and internal spacedv lugson said cap adapted kto slide on said spindle faces to engage and move said latch portions from the spindle groove and thereafter in 4another movement of the cap to carry said lugs into thev groove to lock the cap to the spindle and thereby `the reelfrom movement longitudinally of the 'spindle until l `the resiliently mounted element is pressed -in-- Wardly to withdraw the latch portions from the spindle groove.

HARRY-H. 

